My night with Noki, an injured shelter dog needing extra TLC

Editor’s note: Amanda Lopez joined the San Antonio Area Foundation in 2010 and has been a key member of the Animal No-Kill team. On June 4, she begins a new career with the City of San Antonio. While we are sad to see Amanda go, we wish her well in her new career, and offer her our heartfelt thanks for all she has done for the people and pets of San Antonio.

By Amanda Lopez

Amanda Lopez

Recently, I was loved by a puppy that I named Noki. I met him at the city Animal Care Services “Owner Surrender Intake.” He had been hit by a car and turned in as a stray. Noki had a broken leg and a few other medical issues. The wonderful people at San Antonio Pets Alive were trying to find him a foster home because he needed extra TLC.

When I first walked in, he immediately caught my eye. He was an American staff mix and was about 2 months old. His fur was the perfect mix of brown, black and white. When I rubbed his head, he made a soft sound, almost like a cat’s purr. He was the sweetest puppy ever. He had a darling stripe of white fur on his face, but his eyes are what got me. They were searching for someone to care for him. I was his person.

The doctor examined him and gave him pain meds to comfort him. She told me that he was very hurt and might not make it through the night. I wanted to give him a chance, so knowing this, I agreed to foster.

When I placed him in my passenger seat, he looked at me strangely for sitting him so far away. Even with everything he had been through, he tried to move closer to me. So I scooped him up, and he slept on my lap the whole way home.

At home, my cousin Iris and I cared for this baby. We gave him a warm blanket and a soft bed. We gave him sugar water and tried to feed him. We rubbed his head and tummy. He opened his eyes sometimes and gave us those tender puppy eyes, but mostly he slept. We adored Noki and showered him with attention.

Soon, it was time for bed, and Iris left. It was just Noki and I. He opened his eyes, and gave me love. Then, all of a sudden, his breathing became labored. In only a matter a minutes his breathing slowed down significantly. Noki gasped, and then he stopped breathing. Tears began falling uncontrollably from my eyes. I didn’t know what to do. I rushed to the animal hospital, and they took him to the back room. After a few minutes, the nurse called me. She told me Noki had passed away. Tears flooded my eyes in that moment. I will never forget that feeling of losing him.

I felt so much sadness, so much grief. He was an innocent being who wanted to love me, but it was all too much for him. I cried myself to sleep that night, but my pain is eased knowing Noki spent his last hours comforted and cared for.

I mourned Noki’s passing. He wasn’t the only one who fell in love that night. I did, too. This little angel of hope made it impossible not to love him back. It’s amazing how quickly it happens, but the bond I felt was so strong.

I couldn’t save Noki, but there are so many animals that can be saved today. So many pets who want to have a chance to find their family.

This story is very sad, but the story of pets being put down every day is so much sadder. Noki was sick, but so many others are perfectly healthy. Tears are filling my eyes as I write this story, but I know that I need to share this. Noki meant too much to me for me not to speak up for all the puppies out there. Please go to the shelter and adopt or foster. You will be saving a life, and maybe a little one will save you. If you can’t adopt, please donate to one of the San Antonio Area Foundation’s No-Kill partners. This will help them save other babies.

In honor of Noki, please act today because many others like him might not have a tomorrow.

The San Antonio Area Foundation, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2014, makes grants from funds established by individuals, families, businesses or other entities to support charitable causes. The Area Foundation manages more than $250 million in assets and has distributed more than $230 million for scholarships and grants to educate youth, preserve the environment, protect animals, fund research and provide services that enhance the quality of life in our region.